Letter: M.B. Cranshaw, Aldie

Editor: Mr. Ihara’s letter expressing his “outrage” over the House passing the first legislative step in the demolition of Obamacare is indicative of the myopic liberal view of this scam.

I’ll be characteristically blunt. In 2013, I was paying $135/month for a policy that suited me very well. In 2017, I am being charged—ripped off—the princely sum of $589/month for a policy that is nearly useless to me. That is an increase of 437 percent in four years. In the liberal’s mind, that makes it “affordable.”

There is not, and has never been, anything “affordable” about the ACA. To rant and rave and condemn President Trump and the House Republicans for “ripping away the economic security of hard working American families” is an absurd notion. Millions of hard working American families can’t afford it now, because of triple-digit increases in premium costs like those I have experienced. I have friends and neighbors who have experienced increases even greater than mine. The level of insurance company participation has dropped precipitously, and the number of available plans has likewise shrunk, in some markets to only a single carrier and one or two plans. Those are our available “choices” under the ACA.`

“Lastly, the effects on the healthcare of Americans as a result of the bill they voted for were unknown,” writes Mr. Ihara. Well, I would venture to say that they are no more unknown than the effects of the dishonest, treacherous and deceitful representations the Democrats and their president made when the ACA was passed in 2009.

“If you like the plan you have, you can keep it. If you like the doctor you have, you can keep your doctor, too. The only change you will see are falling costs as our reforms take hold.” That is from Obama’s weekly address on June 6, 2009. Three very distinct lies, all of which have laid the groundwork to destroy the financial security of millions of Americans since 2013. Isn’t that right, Mr. Ihara?

So don’t lecture us on how “outraged” you may be. You start paying 437 percent increases like we have, then—maybe—you are entitled to be outraged.